His Eyes Were Green
by Love Well Spent
Summary: A year has passed since Bella lost her long-term boyfriend, Jacob, in the war of Iraq. Just recently she has started her dream career as a portrait photographer and is trying to move past her grief. On the first day of the job Bella meets a tall, striking man named Edward Masen. He's everything Bella vowed to avoid. She happens to be the woman of his dreams...literally. AU/AH, E/B.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or any of its characters, all credit goes to Stephanie Meyer.

**Summary:** A year has passed since Bella lost her long-term boyfriend, Jacob, in the war of Iraq. Just recently she has started her dream career as a portrait photographer and is trying to move past her grief with the help of her best friend, Alice. On the first day of the job Bella meets a tall, striking man named Edward Masen. He is everything Bella vowed to avoid. She happens to be the woman of Edward's dreams..literally.

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for checking this out. So to be honest I've actually posted this fic once awhile back, a year ago maybe? I deleted it shortly after, however, because I had no time to work on it. But now that it's Christmas break and I have plenty of time to write, I've decided to give it another go. I hope you guys enjoy it. See you down below.**

* * *

Preface

His eyes were green.

That is what I remember about him most of all.

Green was the first thing I noticed when I looked up and saw him for the very first time.

Green was the color of the grass where we laid together all those warm summer nights, staring at the moon and listening to the crickets sing.

Green was the color of his first car, an old beat up Chevrolet in which he was extremely proud.

Green was the color of my favorite Gummy Bears, the ones he liked to pick out of a whole bag just for me.

Green was what I felt when I was with him. Strong. Peaceful. _Alive_.

Green was the color of his high school ring, which to this day still holds a very special promise.

Green was the color of his army uniform, designed specifically for camouflage. Ironic how it only made him stand out all the more to me.

Green was the color of all the traffic lights that I sped through on the way to the airport, where we met that night after a whole year and six months of being apart.

Green was the color of the helicopter that crashed, nine soldiers killed and none of which survived.

Green was the envy I felt for all those years he spent for his country and not for me.

Green, or was it grief I felt when I realized that I had lost him – the one who I thought I'd be with forever.

Green was the day that I wished it all away, making a vow that I would never again fall for someone like him.

* * *

_-His Eyes Were Green-_

**Chapter One**

"Bella, you're doing it again."

Bella glanced up from the clutter of photos on her desk that she had so strenuously been staring at for the past fifteen minutes and turned to raise an eyebrow at her best friend and coworker, Alice.

"Doing what?"

"Biting your lip. You always do that when you're feeling stressed, which tells me as much as it tells you, that you're working yourself too hard. When was the last time you've had a full night's sleep, might I ask?"

Bella rolled her eyes but proceeded to contemplate Alice's question. For some people it would seem like a simple question, but to someone whose days and nights merged into one long blur, the answer could prove to be quite difficult. This was her very first day of operating her portrait photography business – it had taken her years of hard earned sweat to get her up to this point, and now that she had finally reached her goal everything seemed to be happening so fast. She could hardly get a decent night's sleep when there was just so much to do and so little time to do it. She wanted this business to be a success; she had worked too hard and long for it to become anything but.

Not bothering to frustrate herself further, Bella shrugged her shoulders and glanced back down at her work. "I don't need a full night's sleep, four to five hours is enough for me. And of course I'm stressed; it's only natural after starting my own business and all. What do you expect?"

"I expect you to not die," Alice said dramatically. "Stress has a limit, Bella, and you are spiraling dangerously close to the edge. And I, as your best friend, am not going to let you destroy yourself."

Bella let out a deep sigh of exasperation. "Alice, honestly-"

"When was the last time you've been out on a date?" Alice demanded, propping her hand on her hip.

"No Alice, I refuse to discuss my social life with you," Bella said adamantly, picking up one of the photographs and pretending to study it. This conversation was taking a turn for the worst and she was not about to let it go on any further.

"Hmm, maybe that's because you don't have one!" Alice exclaimed, her eyes flashing in irritation. "Seriously Bella, look at yourself! Your hair is a mess, your clothes are dirty, not to mention stinky, and in relation to all else there are _bags _under your eyes. You may not have to wear makeup Bella, but natural beauty only goes so far."

Okay, now she was starting to get annoyed. Didn't Alice have anything better to do with her time than constantly criticize her? Dropping the photo back down on her desk, Bella straightened her back and turned, eyes narrowed and arms crossed.

"What do you suggest I do then, Alice? Drop all my responsibilities and go skinny dipping with some hot, random guy I meet at a bar? Dress up and party at a club till four o'clock in the morning? I'm not twenty-one anymore Alice, I can't just have fun anymore. I have photographs to take, appointments to make, and a business to run. I don't have time to date. I use to, but not anymore. This-" Bella swept her hand out in front of her, indicating the large studio, "is my life now. Okay?"

"No. Not okay," Alice remarked, stepping forward. "This may be a big part of your life Bella, but it's not all of it. It can't be. You deserve so much more, and you know it."

"Yeah?" Bella snapped, her throat beginning to burn while struggling to hold back the tears that were threatening to escape. "Well I had something, some_one_, who was a big part of my life, but he's gone now. I've moved on. This is what I need, not some stupid romance that will never last."

Alice shook her head, amazed as well as dismayed at how much Jacob's unexpected death had changed her best friend. She was no longer the happy, wishful-thinking girl Alice had grown up with, but instead a woman whose heart had not only been broken, but whose spirit had been crushed.

"I'm sorry to hear you say that," Alice murmured, lowering her gaze to the floor. "I wish there was something we could have done to prevent Jake's death, but it was inevitable. Soldiers die every year, Bella. Jake was great at what he did but he couldn't have stopped that helicopter from falling. You know that as much as I do."

Her voice softened as she added, "And even though your life with Jake is over, it doesn't mean your life with any other guy is too. Give someone a chance, Bella. You might be surprised."

A single tear slid down Bella's cheek and with a small huff she wiped it away with her hand and said stiffly, "I don't want to give anyone else a chance. Don't you understand, Alice? I don't want to risk being hurt again."

"So what if you get hurt again?" Alice stated, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Getting hurt is a part of life, you can't avoid it. And you can't avoid love, as hard as you might try. Love is a part of life too, and right now that's what you need. At least try to go out and find it."

After a moment Bella glanced away, refusing to comment.

Alice sighed, "Fine, I'll go and leave you to your work. Oh, by the way, you have an appointment with a possible customer in five minutes, just unless you've forgotten."

Bella blinked. "Oh, right. Thanks."

"No problem."

Alice walked to the back door of the studio, then turned around and called over to her, "Oh, and Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"I may not be helping you, but at least I'm not the one who is refusing to help herself."

Refusing to help herself? Was Alice kidding? She was doing all she could to help herself by starting this business…at least financial-wise. So what if she didn't have a social life? At least she had friends. She might have forgotten to stay in contact with some of them, but she could easily get back in touch with them whenever she felt like it. Besides, she had Alice to keep her company and for now that was enough.

Wasn't it?

Shaking these troublesome thoughts from her mind, Bella glanced down at her watch. Five minutes, Alice had said. Like her friend had pointed out, she had completely forgotten all about her last appointment of the day. Rubbing the fatigue from her eyes, Bella started to organize the mess that was quickly dominating her workspace. _Just one more hour_, she thought to herself, stifling a yawn. _One more hour and I can go home and take a long, hot bubble bath. And drink a glass of wine…or maybe two.  
_  
Completely immersed in her preoccupation, Bella didn't hear the front door of the studio creak open and then close shut. Her attention was focused solely on her photographs until an abrupt, pleasant sounding voice nearly made her jump right out of her skin.

"Are you Bella Swan?"  
_  
Dear lord! _Placing a hand over her heart, Bella did her best to calm its racing rhythm, fearing that it would explode at any moment.

The angelic sounding voice came again. "Did I startle you?"

_Only somewhat, _she thought.

"No, it's fine." Finally, Bella turned around to face the man, forcing herself to give him a small, polite smile in acknowledgement.

Instead, as her eyes fell upon the man for the first time, her eyes widened and her smile vanished almost as quickly as it had come. Her heart resumed its furious pounding, and for the first time in a long time, Bella was rendered absolutely speechless.

The man was ridiculously gorgeous. And why shouldn't he be, with a voice like that? His face looked like it had been carved by an angel, and that bronze hair of his gleamed like nothing she had ever seen. He was dressed casually in jeans, a navy blue t-shirt, and a striking black coat that made him look considerably taller than he already was.

How could such a man like him exist? She wondered in eloquent awe, completely and utterly stunned.

At last her wide, wandering eyes met his, and in that moment her thoughts were consumed of Jacob, and she was immediately flung into the past.

_The smell of the ocean filled the air. The sun was shining down hard on her back, but she hardly noticed. She was too busy wrapped in the arms of her boyfriend, Jacob, who was grazing his thumb gently across her cheek._

_"Have you even realized how much you've made me happy?" he murmured._

_"Of course," she whispered. "But you've made me happier."_

_He scoffed. "Impossible."_

_She rolled her eyes and poked him in the ribs. "Oh, yeah? Is it impossible for me to do…this?"_

_He let out a gasp and then a groan as a cold splash of water suddenly came into contact against his bare chest. By the time he had finished registering the shock, she was already halfway into the ocean. Letting out a loud, playful whoop, he hauled his ass in after her, grinning when he heard her high, impeccable laugh trailing infectiously behind her._

_"You're in for it now, missy!" He waded further into the water until at last he was able to grab onto one of her body parts, which just so happened to be her leg. He gripped it more firmly with his hands and none-so-gently pulled back._

_She let out a yelp and fell backwards into his arms. Chuckling he dumped her head once, twice, underneath the surface before holding her soaked face in front of his and kissing her passionately on the lips. When he finally pulled away she was positively gasping with exhaustion._

_"Okay," she gasped, leaning all of her weight onto his chest and wrapping her skinny legs around his waist underneath the cool, refreshing water, "You caught me."_

_"And..?" He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously._

_"Don't even think it," she remarked, narrowing her eyes at him. "There is no possible way you can convince me that I've made you happier when I'm clearly the one who you've made happier."_

_He grabbed a handful of her hair and glanced down at the water pointedly. "All right then, I guess I'll have to dunk you again…and again…and again…"_

_She crossed her arms and smirked defiantly. "Go ahead."_

_And he did. Again, and again, and again, (while checking to make sure she was still breathing) until…_

_"All right, all right!" She clung to him after about the seventh time he had dunked her into the water, struggling to regain her breath as she exclaimed, "I've made you happier! There! I said it!"_

_"And…?"_

_She stared at him in astonishment and asked, "There's more?"_

_He leaned forward and nibbled softly on her bottom lip, causing her to shudder. "It involves you…me…and the rest of our lives." He wrapped his arms around her cold, shivering body, and nuzzled his cheek lovingly against hers. "I'll give you a hint…it's three words."_

_Her eyes lit up and a gentle laugh escaped her throat. "Oh, that?" She wrapped her own arms around his neck and snuggled deeper into his embrace, warming her up instantly. "I love you," she whispered softly in his ear._

_He sighed deeply in contentment. "Yeah, that's it."_

_"Forever…that's a pretty long time," she murmured thoughtfully, weaving her fingers through his thick, dark hair._

_"Yeah. But I'm thinking we could probably manage it," he murmured back, kissing her neck. "I'm going to love you now…tomorrow…and the next day…and the next day…."_

_She smiled against his cheek, and it was then that her love for him grew impossibly even more._

_"And the next?" she guessed._

_"No."_

_She looked up at him, blinking in confusion._

_"Until I run out of days to love you," he answered finally, cupping her face in his hands._

_Her big brown eyes softened, and in that moment, so did her heart. "Forever?" she questioned._

_"Forever," he said, and confirmed his promise with a sweet, long-lasting kiss._

When the flashback ended it took all of Bella's will power not to lose it right then and there.

"Have I come at a wrong time?" the man questioned, his beautiful emerald gaze watching her intently. "If so, we can always arrange the appointment for a different time. Next week, perhaps?"

"No." Bella immediately snapped out of it. "No, it's fine," she repeated. _Everything is fine. His eyes just happen to be the same shade as Jacob's…so what?  
_  
"Good." Edward flashed her a bright, charming smile, momentarily catching her off guard. "I'm Edward Masen, a friend of Jasper's."

"Oh." Jasper was Alice's long-term boyfriend – she had always felt a bit intimidated by him. Impeccably handsome, big-shot lawyers tended to do that to some people, especially her. She nodded and murmured, "I see. It's nice to meet you, Edward."

"And you," he remarked, his smile broadening.

She blinked, before clearing her throat and asking, "How can I help you?"

"I'd like to have a group portrait done of my family."

"How big is your family?" Bella questioned, rummaging around her desk in search for a pen or a pencil.

"Quite big," Edward stated, watching her as she failed to locate a writing utensil.

"I need a number," she said absentmindedly, growing frustrated.

Finally, he drew a pen from inside his coat and handed it to her. "Here, allow me."

Glancing up, Bella eyed the pen before reaching out and taking it from his hand, careful not to make any contact. "Thanks," she murmured, before straightening up and gazing at him expectantly.

"Fifteen," he answered.

Bella gaped at him, and then quickly regained her composure. "Right. And is this your immediate family?" She began to write on a small notepad.

"Yes."

_Okay, then. This should be interesting._

"How soon do you want this family portrait done?" Bella asked, forcing herself to look professionally into his eyes, despite the fact that each time she gazed into them, all she could think about was the man who she had lost her heart to.

"As soon as you can manage it," Edward said, and his eyes softened as he continued to stare at her. "You look tired," he bluntly pointed out, sounding concerned.

Bella blushed and glanced down at her notepad. "Yes, well, it's been a long day."

"Let me take you out," Edward offered, smiling at her in a warm, friendly manner. "I know a great place down the street that serves some fantastic wine. You look like you might need a glass."

"What?" Bella glanced up at him, startled. Did he just ask her out? Impossible. He was too handsome. Too nice. Too…too…too perfect.

"I, uh-no. No, I can't. I'm sorry."

_Yes, you can_, a voice inside of her said. To her, it sounded a lot like Alice.

"Please? It's the least I can do." His green eyes caressed her face, and a shiver ran down her spine.

"I…I…" _Stop stuttering! You're not doing yourself any favors by acting like an idiot_, she mentally chided.

"Thank you," she said at last, managing to stare calmly into his eyes, "I appreciate the offer, but I really can't. Things are…complicated right now. I'm sure you understand."

"Well, at least I tried," Edward said lightheartedly, and her thoughts went back to Alice and what she had said just several minutes before.

_'I may not be helping you, but at least I'm not the one who is refusing to help herself.'_

Bella frowned, knowing that Alice was right. But that didn't mean she should accept an offer from a stranger who she had only just recently met. Especially someone so…

Dangerously good looking? Yeah, that was about right.

"So is there a particular time and place you would prefer to meet for this family portrait?" Bella asked, coming back to safe, solid ground.

"No, any time or place would do," Edward replied.

Glancing down at her desk, she picked up her planner and began flipping through pages.

"I have a couple dates here I could do that are next week. Is that too soon?"

"No, that'll be great."

"Okay. I could do Wednesday at three o'clock, or Friday at noon. Which will it be?"

"Wednesday would be perfect," Edward said, nodding. "I'll let my family know."

"Okay, and where would you like to meet?"

"You choose."

Bella glanced up at him skeptically. "Are you sure? Don't you want to talk to your family about this?"

"No. I have complete faith in you," Edward said, and it took all of Bella's strength not to melt under his soft yet penetrating gaze.

"Um - okay." Bella wrote down a couple things in her planner and was surprised to see that her hand was shaking. Annoyed with herself, she closed it and set the planner back down on the desk. "Well, I guess we're finished then," she murmured, feeling quiet all of a sudden.

Hesitantly, she glanced over at Edward and was surprised to see him watching her with a thoughtful, curious expression on his face. Her cheeks burned with heat and she quickly glanced down at the ground.

"Well, Bella, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you. I'll see you here again on Wednesday. Oh, and Bella?"

She didn't dare look up.

"I think you are absolutely stunning."

By the time she did glance up, the utterly handsome Edward Masen was gone.

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**Kitten hugs and Christmas cookies to all who review. :)**

**Thanks for reading! Next chapter is going to be all about Edward.  
**

**~LWS  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi all! First I'd like to apologize for taking a mighty long time to update. Life got busy over the holidays, spending time with family and whatnot. Also, I forgot my flash drive back at school and guess what was on it? Yep, the draft of this second chapter. Silly me. Secondly…**_**wow. **_**Thank you so much to all who reviewed and put this fic on their favorites/alerts! I'm glad I got some of you hooked! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. And speaking of this chapter, onto my third note (this is the last one, I promise), which is that I lied about it being in Edward's POV due to my decision in keeping this fic in third person. But no worries, I'll introduce more of our Eddie boy in this chapter. Now enough of my chattering…here is chapter two!**

* * *

_-His Eyes Were Green-_

**Chapter Two**

The second Bella got home to her roomy, one bedroom apartment she took out her phone, flung her purse onto the kitchen table, and immediately contacted Alice via text.

_You conniving witch._

About sixty seconds later she received a response.

_What have I been convicted of now?_

Bella shook her head. Ridiculous.

_I can't believe you would do something like this Alice! I thought you knew this isn't what I want?_

_What on earth are you talking about Bella?!_

Growing more furious by the minute, Bella texted her back within a matter of seconds.

_Edward! You totally set me up._

_Edward who?_

Was Alice _trying _to give Bella a migraine? Grinding her teeth, Bella replied back.

_Hello? Edward Masen? Japser's friend? How many Edward's do you know?_

_Bella, I swear, I have no idea what you're talking about._

Bella glared at her phone, wondering why Alice was denying it. Alice _had _to be behind this; just today she had tried to get her to start dating again and then five minutes later a man had shown up asking her out, and not just any man – the fucking twenty-first century Adonis.

That couldn't simply be a coincidence…could it?

_Of course not, _Bella told herself, continuing to analyze the situation. She couldn't remember a time when a guy had been so straightforward with her, but then again the only guy she had ever been with was Jacob and she had known him ever since she was little. So consequently, Jake didn't count.

She found it a little bit disheartening that she was twenty-five years old and the only boyfriend she had ever had was her childhood sweetheart. But then again, she had been happy with him, more so than she would have been with anyone else. What did it matter if Jake had been her only love?

_It doesn't, _Bella reassured herself, disregarding the sadness that had begun to sink in. Letting out a sigh, she sent one more text to Alice.

_I'll talk to you about it tomorrow._

A loud, welcoming _meow _caused Bella to glance down at the ground, smiling when she saw her white and brown tabby staring up with her dazzling pair of big, bright green eyes.

"Hey, pretty girl," Bella murmured, bending down to pick her up and cuddle her in her arms. Mitzi purred and rubbed her head against Bella's cheek, obviously pleased her owner was home. Bella petted Mitzi for a couple minutes and soon began to feel the stress melt away. _Thank goodness for cats, _Bella thought to herself before placing Mitzi back on the floor and heading towards the kitchen, the cat following closely behind.

Just as she was about to dig in to some leftover Chinese, she heard a friendly knock on the door.

Biting back a groan, Bella walked to the door and stuck her eye in front of the peephole, feeling slightly annoyed. All she wanted was a little time to herself, was that too much to ask for?

When she saw who it was standing obnoxiously proud outside her door, she didn't hold back the groan this time. _Oh sweet Jesus, what does HE want? _

It was Mike freaking Newton, the kid with a crush on her for the past ten years. He just wouldn't give up, no matter what Bella said to him. It was like being followed by a puppy dog yearning for attention. The more the puppy yearned, the more it became desperate and exceedingly annoying. Bella honestly didn't know what to do anymore about this guy; she had reached the point where all she could do was simply nod and smile, then close the door politely in his face.

This time though, it would be different.

This time she was tired, stressed, and most pointedly, she was _pissed._

Oh yeah, some shit was about to go down.

Flinging the door open, she cut Mike off with a hot, biting glare and stepped forward to stand in front of him, nose-to-nose.

"Listen, _Mike_," she growled, "I do not have the time or the patience to deal with your pathetic little advances right now, okay? Actually, my patience has about reached its capacity with you. I understand that perseverance can be a good thing, but Mike there comes a point in time when you just need to stop. Please, just _stop. _I liked you…once, but even then I didn't like you enough to date you. My feelings haven't changed and they won't be changing any time soon_. _So please, if you still have some trace of dignity left in you at all, go. Go and heaven forbid don't come back."

Bella didn't stay to witness the hurt and pain that was mostly likely appearing on Mike's face at that very moment. Instead, she turned away quickly and shut the door none-too-gently in his face.

_If he still comes back after that, _Bella thought as she returned to the kitchen, _then hell, I might just have to murder the poor guy._

* * *

The next day Bella waited patiently for Alice to arrive at work. Like always, Alice was about ten minutes late, but this time Bella didn't bother to ask her why she wasn't on time. She had other important questions that were in need of answers and none of them had to do with punctuality.

The moment Alice pranced happily into the studio Bella fixed her with a long, inscrutable stare and said in a calm, quiet tone, "Explain."

Alice set her things down on her desk before turning around and letting loose a dramatic, exasperated sigh. "I _knew _you would still blame me!"

"Why shouldn't I?" Bella demanded, standing up and placing a hand on her hip. "This has you written _all _over it, missy."

"Okay, first just tell me what the hell happened," Alice replied, looking irritated," then _maybe _I'll understand."

Bella didn't hesitate in telling the story, not holding back in giving Alice all of the details.

"Yesterday you told me that I had an appointment. We were both in work to our knees and I had totally forgotten. You, on the other hand, _remembered _this very special appointment and made sure to remind me. Then after you left, this handsome stranger walked in and we started talking. He asked for a group portrait to be done of his family, which by the way is going to be fifteen people. Fifteen! Can you believe that?" Bella shook her head. "Anyways, in the middle of our discussion he asked me out and before you interrupt me and ask, I said no because I barely even know the guy."

Ignoring Alice's disappointed expression, Bella continued, "And then when he finally left, you know what he said? He said I was _beautiful. _It was so...so..._ridiculous_. If I had been wearing a Cinderella dress or something then sure, I would've understood, but last night I looked like hell. And you know what, Alice? I've never been to hell, but I highly doubt it's a beautiful place!"

Bella finished with a huff, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. She glanced up at Alice after a long moment of silence, and what she saw literally made her gape.

Alice…was…_laughing!_

She was laughing so hard that no sound could make its way out of her mouth. Furious and on the brink of explosion, Bella could only wait in all her stark raving madness until Alice decided to get a hold of herself. _I cannot believe this is happening…my best friend is LAUGHING at me! _Bella seriously considered slapping her, but she carefully refrained.

Thankfully, Alice's laughing fit didn't last long.

Once she had regained her composure, Alice blinked at Bella thoughtfully before declaring in a smooth, gentle tone, "Bella, first off it is part of my job description for you to always be prepared for your appointments. What good would I be to you if I never reminded you of them? Secondly, Bella this wouldn't be the first time in history for a stranger to ask out another stranger. It happens. You're just not used to it is all and that is completely understandable. After all, the only guy you've ever been with is Jake and with him beside you I wouldn't be surprised that no other guy dared to hit on you. Jake was a beast."

Alice smiled slightly, before adding, "And so what if he called you beautiful? You should be flattered a stranger had the guts to say that, and Bella you shouldn't be so shocked. You _are _beautiful, no matter what. And as your best friend I _promise _that I did not set you up. Edward's just…well…he's very frank. And honest. I think you'd really like him, Bella, if you'd just give him a chance."

"I'd rather jump off the Empire State Building," Bella said flatly, narrowing her eyes at her friend.

Alice shook her head and sighed, "What are you so afraid of?"

"I've already told you," Bella murmured, glancing down as she began to fiddle with a strand of her hair.

"So then, what? Are you going to be a single lady for the rest of your life? An eternal spinster? Bella, falling in love is nothing to be afraid of. Everyone gets hurt once in their life, but they get over it. It's time for you to get over it, too."

"Are we going to have this discussion every morning?" Bella snapped, glancing up to glare at her. "Or can we finally let it be?"

"You're hurting yourself Bella," Alice said quietly. "Every day, you're hurting yourself. Can't you see how much Jake's death has changed you?"

Bella didn't want to hear this. In fact, she didn't _have _to hear this.

Snatching up her purse, she shot Alice an angry retort. "I'm going out for a little while; you can hold the fort while I'm gone."

Once Bella was outside she breathed in the crisp, fresh autumn air and started down the busy city sidewalk. She clutched her jacket closer to her when an unexpected chilly breeze brushed against her neck, and after a few minutes of walking she began looking for a shop where she could step in for a bit and warm up. Maybe even a cup of coffee to settle her nerves.

Soon she caught sight of a quaint little coffee shop on the corner with the sign _Sam's Coffee House _hanging above the door_. _Bella stepped in and immediately let out a long sigh of relief as the heat of the shop hit her skin, warming her almost instantly.

She headed towards the cashier and flashed the young girl behind the counter a soft, friendly smile.

"Hi there. May I have a regular cup of coffee?"

"Sure. Cream and sugar?"

"Yes, please."

"That'll be three ninety-nine."

Bella handed the young brunette a five and then patiently waited for her coffee, letting her eyes roam around the shop. As her inquisitive brown gaze fell upon a handsome, bronze-haired man sitting quietly in the corner, her heart abruptly skipped a beat. Eyes widening in surprise, Bella stared at the man for a moment longer, wondering if he could possibly be who she thought he was.

When the man looked up to glance out the window, Bella's stomach did a triple flip.

_Edward._

_This cannot be happening, _Bella thought to herself, feeling her mouth run dry. Out of all the countless coffee shops in this damn city she just had to choose the one Edward was in. Bella didn't know whether to cry or to laugh.

"Your coffee, miss."

Bella turned and smiled her thanks to the girl before taking her cup. _Now, just walk out, _Bella thought, taking a step towards the door, _just take your coffee and go. Don't look back…_

Bella looked back and immediately caught herself staring straight into eyes of green.

Edward smiled charmingly in her direction and lifted his hand to give her a friendly wave.

_Perfect, _Bella thought with an inward groan, _now he knows I've seen him. Great job, Bella._

Bella waved back nonchalantly and was just about to turn around when she was struck with that bizarre, nagging feeling, which only meant one thing - she had to do something.

Biting down gently on her bottom lip, Bella gathered up the courage and headed towards Edward, not missing the surprise that flashed across his face when he saw her coming.

She approached him with a calm dignity, wearing her poker face. _Well, here goes nothing._

"Hello, Edward," Bella greeted him cautiously, wondering what he could possibly be thinking; she wished she knew or at least had an inkling, but she couldn't see past those deep, beautiful green eyes.

Jake's face appeared, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had come the moment Bella pushed him to the back of her mind. _Go away, Jake, _Bella thought in aggravation, _you're not helping me right now…_

"Hello, Bella," Edward said, gazing straight into her eyes. "How are you today?"

Bella blushed and glanced down at the floor. "G-Good…"

_Stuttering coward!_

Before he was given the chance to speak again, Bella quickly added, "I was just…wondering something."

Edward stared at her curiously for a moment, before smiling and asking, "Oh?"

"I was just wondering…if you meant it," Bella murmured, glancing up to gaze inquiringly at him.

"Meant what?" Edward questioned, looking confused.

"That I was…uh…_beautiful._" Bella's face flamed up with heat and it took a great load of conviction for her not to turn around and high tail it right out of the shop.

Bella lifted her head in surprise when Edward slowly stood up to face her, his expression completely somber. His eyes bored straight into hers and it was then that Bella thoroughly forgot to breathe. She didn't dare look away…she doubted she would be able to, for his hold on her was unyielding.

And then finally, he spoke.

"Bella, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure to lay my eyes on. Yes, I meant what I said yesterday, and I mean what I say now. You have only to look into my eyes and see the truth."

Bella was speechless. What could she possibly say in response to that? All she could do was stand there, shocked to the bone, and gape at him.

Snapping out of her daze, Bella narrowed her eyes. Seriously, who did this guy think he was? If he thought he could simply stare into her eyes and woo her with his sweet, romantic words, well then he had another thing coming.

"Most of the time the truth isn't always so easy to read," Bella murmured quietly and mainly to herself, but she could tell by the way Edward's eyebrow shot up slightly that he had overheard her statement.

"You've been hurt," Edward remarked just as quietly, and it pained Bella to see the subtle compassion gleaming in his vibrant green eyes.

"No," Bella said bitterly, gripping her hand tighter around her coffee cup, "I've been left."

"By who?"

Sadness sparked in Bella's eyes, a sadness so real it only made Edward more curious over what had happened to the pretty young woman standing before him. It was obvious to him that she had yet to let go of her past, for her eyes were haunted with it every time he dared to gaze into them.

"By my best friend," Bella whispered, a small tear forming in the corner of her left eye. Blinking rapidly, she brushed it away quickly with her hand and sent Edward an apologetic smile. "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come over here. I just wanted to…to ask you that question. I should go now."

She turned around quickly to leave but was stopped short by Edward's hand, which was now softly gripping Bella's upper arm.

"Bella, wait."

She turned back around to gaze up at him, her breath catching as their eyes met once again, his gaze paralyzing her right where she stood.

"Can't you see it, Bella?" Edward whispered softly, causing tiny little goose bumps to rise onto the surface of her skin. "I'd like to get to know you."

Bella's heart skipped a beat and began pounding unsteadily inside her chest. He wanted to get to _know _her? But why? She was no one special really, just an ordinary girl next door with a talent for photography. What did he possibly see in her that had him so clearly intrigued?

Her head was telling her that she should let him down, that it was too soon and she should make sure she was completely over Jacob before allowing herself to fall in love again. But her heart…her heart was telling her that it was now or never. Take the risk, take the chance. _Say yes_.

"You'll be disappointed," Bella murmured back, not exactly saying yes, but not giving him a firm no either. "I'm warning you of that now. I'm not…I'm not the same girl I used to be."

"That's okay," Edward said, smiling thoughtfully at her. "No one ever really stays the same, anyway."

Bella shook her head. "That's not what I meant. I-"

"I knew what you meant," Edward interrupted, letting his grip on her go before moving to stand in front of her. "Maybe you aren't the same person you were before your friend left you," he began, gazing carefully into her eyes, "but maybe that wasn't the person you were meant to be. Maybe now is your chance to become a new person, a better person…a person who has known what it feels like to have loved and lost, and who has the courage to try and love again."

Bella stared at him, stunned by this sudden affirmation. Again, how on earth was she supposed to respond to that? This man certainly knew how to render a lady speechless – in more ways than one.

Luckily, he decided to give her some slack.

"Think about it," Edward said to her, giving her a quick wink before moving back towards his table. "I'll see you Wednesday."

Feeling utterly perplexed, Bella walked out of the shop and for a moment just stood in the middle of the sidewalk, going over what Edward had said to her.

_Maybe you aren't the same person as you were before your friend left you…but maybe that wasn't the person you were meant to be. Maybe now is your chance to become a new person, a better person…a person who has known what it feels like to have loved and lost, and who has the courage to try and love again._

The courage to love again…ever since Jacob passed, Bella doubted that she would ever possess that courage; if she even had the will, let alone the strength, to obtain it.

According to Alice, she did. But according to her heart…well, she wasn't so certain.

* * *

**So, what do you guys think of Bella?** **She's a bit complex, and a little annoying right now, I know. Don't worry, she won't be like this forever. ;)  
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**Feel free to leave a review, I'd love to know what you think! :)  
**

**Till next time...  
**

**~LWS  
**


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